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The 9 Primary Styles of Wine

There is a wine style to suit everyone’s preferences. Wine comes in a variety of shapes and styles. Light to full-bodied, fragrant, bone dry to sweet, white to red, sparkling, flat, fortified, light to full-bodied, aromatic, bone dry to sweet, white to red, sparkling, flat, fortified.

1. Sparkling wine

There’s no need to wait for a special occasion to enjoy your favorite sparkling beverage. Any wine grape can be used to make sparkling wine. Champagne and Prosecco are the two most popular sparkling wines.

Main Flavors

Common flavors include citrus, peach, toast, and light berries.

Popular Varietals

Any variety of grape can be used to make sparkling wines. It is common to use Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in France and New World countries. Other Old World countries tend to use many different domestic grapes.

Pairings

Sparkling wine pairs well with a variety of cheeses, shellfish, fin fish, and green vegetables.

2. Light-bodied white wine

It is known for being tangy, crisp, and acidic. The majority of these wines aren’t meant to be stored, and they’re best enjoyed within a year of bottling.

Main Flavor

Main flavors include citrus, melon, apple, grapefruit, and peach.

Popular Varietals

Common light-bodied white wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, and Pinot Gris.

Pairings

Light white wines are great with nutty cheeses, mollusk, shellfish, and fresh herbs.

3. Full-bodied white wine

These wines are full-bodied, robust, and occasionally matured in oak barrels.

Main Flavor

Flavors of pineapple, apple, starfruit, honeysuckle, and stonefruit are common. If aged in oak or on the lees, flavors of butter, cream, and vanilla are apparent. 

Popular Varietals

Popular full-bodied white varietals include Chardonnay, Semillon, Pecorino, and Viognier.

Pairings

Full-bodied white wines pair with the largest variety of food out of all white wine styles. Pungent and salty cheeses, finfish, white meat, and roasted vegetables are good pairings choices.

4. Aromatic white wine

The third type of white wine ages well and comes in a variety of flavors, from dry to sweet. They have a strong scent and age well compared to other white wines.

Main Flavor

Honeysuckle, apple, pear, flowers, peach, beeswax are dominant flavors.

Popular Varietals

Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat Blanc, and Chenin Blanc are the main aromatic white varietals.

Pairings

Pairs well with all cheeses, finfish, beans, and spicy dishes.

5. Rose wine

Rose is a red wine that is prepared in the style of a white wine. Unlike red wine, the liquid is not fermented with the skins and seeds. Instead, the juice is only allowed to remain with the skins for a few hours, allowing barely a trace of color and tannin to enter the wine.

Main Flavor

Melon, strawberry, and citrus are flavors you can find in most Roses.

Popular Varietals

Any red grape variety can be made into a rose. Popular varietals include Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Sangiovese.

Pairings

Known for the ability to pair nicely with a large variety of dishes, roses pair well with cheeses, cured meats, white meat, and pasta dishes.

6. Light-bodied red wine

The two most well-known light-bodied red wines are Pinot Noir and Gamay. Because the skins are so thin, the color and tannins are lighter than other red grapes. They have a stronger acidity and a lot of cranberry taste.

Main Flavor

Cranberry, blackberry, mushrooms, and cherries are common flavors in light reds.

Popular Varietals

Pinot Noir and Gamay are the two most popular light red varietals.

Pairings

Light reds go well with cured meats, game birds, and a variety of cheeses.

7. Medium-bodied red wine

The bulk of red wines are made in this style. They hold up well over time and are frequently blended.

Main Flavor

Blackberry, cherry, plum, cured meat, and cranberry are common flavors throughout medium-body red wines.

Popular Varietals

Popular varietals in this category include Merlot, Carmenere, and Cabernet Franc.

Pairings

Nutty cheese, cured meat, and beef are popular pairings.

8. Full-bodied red wine

They’re known for their powerful tannins, dark colors, and propensity to mature gracefully. Full-bodied red wines are made from grapes with thick skins that have been fermented for a long time on the skins and seeds then aged in wood barrels.

Main Flavor

Flavors include tobacco, cherry, dark berries, cedar, black pepper, and currant.

Popular Varietals

Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Montepulciano, and many other varieties are in the full-bodied red category.

Pairings

Game meats, steaks, stews, and rich dishes are a great partner for bold reds.

9. Dessert wine

Dessert wines range from off-dry to very sweet. Many of these wines can be aged for decades. Some of these wines are fortified and have a high alcohol content.

Main Flavors

Caramel, hazelnut, stone fruits, tobacco, and brown sugar are common flavors in dessert wines.

Popular Varietals

Within this style are Port, Marsala, and Sherry made from indigenous grapes.

Pairings

Often an aperitif or a dessert in itself, these wines pair well with desserts and sweet dishes. 

Drink up! There are many styles of wine to choose from.

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